Maternal - Fetal Medicine

The Value of Umbilical Cord Blood Donation

By Richard L. Fischer, M.D.

You may have heard recently about the availability of umbilical cord blood donation. Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and the placenta after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut. Typically, the umbilical cord, placenta, and the blood inside of both are thrown away following uncomplicated deliveries.

It has been discovered that this normally discarded blood is rich in stem cells, which are cells that have the ability to cure leukemia, lymphoma, and some types of childhood cancers.

Currently, there are many commercial companies that offer cord blood collection and storage in the event that your baby will need this blood in the future. However, this is usually very expensive (typically $1500 dollars for the initial collection, plus a few hundred dollars each year for storage). Additionally, the likelihood that your baby will ever need this is very low. Finally, although appealing, autologous cord blood stem cell transplants (using the blood collected at birth for later use for that same individual) has never actually been reported.

An exciting alternative to autologous cord blood donation is anonymous donation to a cord blood “bank.” Such a bank exists at the Coriell Institute, which was designated the site of the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank and is just down the street from Cooper Hospital in Camden. Cord blood can be painlessly donated at no charge, and will be used for any child who may need the stem cells from the cord blood to help cure leukemia or other cancers.

Your obstetrician may discuss this with you, or it may be brought up at the time of your ultrasound examination. If interested, we can arrange to have a collection specialist speak with you to determine if you are a candidate for cord blood donation. It takes approximately 10 minutes, and consists of answering some screening questions to make sure you are a suitable candidate.

If you are a willing and acceptable candidate, your Labor and Delivery chart will be specially labeled, and the blood will be drained from the umbilical cord after delivery of the baby. The entire procedure will take approximately two minutes.

Umbilical cord blood donation is a unique opportunity to safe a life and we encourage you to participate. If you have any questions about cord blood donation, please speak to your obstetrician or inquire at the time of your ultrasound examination. You can also speak directly to the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank directly at 856-966-7377.